Charanya Ramachandran is a Scientist at the Sudhakar and Sreekanth Ravi Stem Cell Biology Laboratory at LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad. In this invited article, she writes about her journey from the clinic to the laboratory and back, and some important lessons learned along the way.

Smarajit Polley is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biophysics, Bose Institute, Kolkata. In this invited article he writes about how he hit upon his topic of research, and how many different experiences throughout his life, beginning with his childhood, have shaped his scientific journey.